All activities that are a necessary part of the National Curriculum plus Religious Education will be provided free of charge. This includes any materials and equipment. It excludes charges made for teaching an individual pupil or groups of up to four pupils to play a musical instrument. Unless the teaching is an essential part of either the National Curriculum or a public examination syllabus being followed by the pupil(s), we will make a charge.

Voluntary contributions may be sought for activities during the school day which entail additional costs, e.g. cost of transport for visits, cost of visit entry. In these circumstances no pupil will be prevented from participating because his/her parents cannot or will not make a contribution.

If not enough voluntary contributions are received to make the activity possible, and there is no other way to get funds, then the activity may be cancelled.

From time to time we may invite a non-school based organisation such as a theatre group to arrange an activity during the school day. Such organisations may wish to charge parents, who may, if they wish, ask the Headteacher to agree to their child being absent for that event.

Optional activities outside of the school day

We may charge for optional extra activities provided outside of the school day, for example, organisations that are not part of the school. Such activities are not part of the National Curriculum or Religious Education, nor are they part of an examination syllabus.

Education partly during the school day

If a non-residential activity happens partly inside the school day and partly outside of it, there will be no charge if most of the time to be spent on the activity falls within the school day. Conversely, if the bigger proportion of time spent falls outside of the normal school day, charges will be made. When such activities are arranged parents will be told how the charges were calculated.

Residential

Charges will be made for board and lodging, except for pupils whose parents are in receipt of any appropriate State Benefit:

Income Support

Income Based Job Seekers Allowance

Support under part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Child Tax Credit, provided the parent is not entitled to Working Tax Credit and their annual income does not exceed £16,190

Guaranteed State Pension Credit.

This is in addition to having a free school lunch entitlement.

Other charges will be made to cover costs when the number of school sessions missed by the pupils totals half or more of the number of half-days taken up by the activity. In such cases parents will be told how the charges were calculated.

Calculation of charges

When charges are made for any activity, whether during or outside of the school day, they will be based on the actual costs incurred, divided by the total number of pupils participating. There will be no levy on those who can pay to support those who cannot. Support for cases of hardship will come through the School Fund.

Parents who could qualify for support are those who are in receipt of any appropriate State Benefit.

The principles of best value will be applied when planning activities that incur costs to the school and/charges to parents.

Charging for finished products

A charge may sometimes be made to cover the costs of materials/ingredients for subjects such as Design or Food Technology. If this is the case, parents will be advised in advance so that they can indicate whether they would like their child to bring home the finished product.

Arrangements for monitoring and evaluation

The Resources Committee of the Governing Body will monitor the impact of this Policy by receiving, at the meeting, a financial report on those activities that resulted in charges being levied, the subsidies awarded (without giving names) and the source of those subsidies.

Policy Review

This Policy will be reviewed annually or as county/national guidelines change.